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Francis Ngannou recently shed light on the rationale behind rejecting a lucrative offer that significantly exceeded his typical UFC payout for his last MMA fight.
Ngannou was the reigning UFC heavyweight champion in March 2021 and had just one fight remaining on his contract with the promotion. The MMA organization would traditionally renew contracts with champions before their current deals expired. However, 'The Predator' opted for a different path.
The Cameroonian decided to bet on himself by rejecting a contract extension and fulfilling his current deal to become a free agent to realize his dream of venturing into boxing. While fans recognized Ngannou's bold move as a risk at the time, only now is the true magnitude of that gamble apparent, as he has emerged as one of the sport's premier attractions.
During a recent conversation on the Pound 4 Pound podcast hosted by former UFC champions Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman, 'The Predator' elaborated on his decision to decline the contract offered by the UFC:
"You were talking earlier about the contract that I turned down. You knew a lot about the stuff that I turned down from the UFC negotiation with my last fight in the UFC. I took $600,000 for my last fight in the UFC as opposed to $5 million that they were offering for the same fight. And I was broke. At the time, I owed Usman $200,000. I was broke. It’s true."
Check out Francis Ngannou's comments below (12:20):
Following his triumph over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022, Ngannou rebuffed a subsequent offer from the UFC, reportedly promising around $8 million for a showdown against Jon Jones.
'The Predator' opted for free agency and secured an opulent partnership with PFL, enabling him to explore boxing opportunities. His strategic move paved the way for a bout against Tyson Fury and his upcoming clash against Anthony Joshua.
Francis Ngannou discusses retirement plans
Francis Ngannou is preparing for his second foray into boxing against Anthony Joshua in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Friday.
'The Predator', who has previously expressed his intent to return to mixed martial arts and is targeted to make his PFL debut against Renan Ferreira later this year, has now outlined a timeline for his eventual retirement from combat sports.
During the same appearance on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Ngannou addressed questions about his legacy. The former UFC champion emphasized his continuous quest for mastery and expressed his determination to elevate his fighting career to new heights. However, he also discussed his retirement aspirations:
"When I retire from fighting, it's just the end of my combat sports career. I think I might retire around 40 [years old]. I'm thinking about 40, so in three, four years [from] now. That's where my mind is at. Then, at 40, I still have maybe half of my life that I can do a lot of things." [45:53]
